Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)

At the outset, I acknowledge the success of Intel and long may it continue. It is great news. We have opportunities to advance developments such as science technology parks, which are important in the context of future economic policy.

Notwithstanding the grim employment news in the live register to end-December, the unemployment rate would be even higher were it not for the resumption of mass emigration. When people are forced to emigrate it provides a safety valve for the Government. Ireland's young, educated workforce have ambitions but at least 100,000 people have left our shores in the past 15 months. Many of them are under 25 years of age. Deputy Bruton said that some 40,000 people in that age category have emigrated. That is an indictment of State policies as well as an appropriate political epitaph for the Government. Mass emigration was something we thought we had left behind in the 1940s and 1950s and would never resume, but one in three young people under 25 are on the dole.

Will the Government continue with the same policies as a result of which we have already suffered the deflationary impact of budgets? If the Government continues along that path, will it be possible to make an impression on the unemployment figures? I acknowledge the Minister's successes, including Intel. I am not here to be a knocker because we all feel the economic impact, but is there anything meaningful the Government can do?

Although we have no more divine wisdom than anyone else, we have suggested a number of ideas, including the apprentice work placement programme, the skills exchange policy and a tax-based scheme to fund full-time study. Does the Government have any focus on the clean-tech, tourism and agri-food sectors which have the potential to create jobs here? Foreign direct investment is important but what policies does the Government have in place for indigenous industries which can play such a meaningful role?

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